Flexible shaft.



E. C. OLIVER. FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

APPLIQAT ION FILED AUG-22y 1910.

1,171,534. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

mum; W ilnnmtm- I Attnmeqa THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. Dr l EDD C. OLIVER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGANQ FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15,1916.

Application filed August 22, 1910. Serial No. 578,342.

To ad whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDD O. OLIVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flexible Shafts, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to flexible shafts and the process of constructing the same, and consists in the improvements hereinafter described and pointed out in. the claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1, is a chain made up of a number of links embodying my invention. Fig. 2, represents the blank from which each link may be formed. Fig. 3, is a side elevation of a blank partly formed into a link. Fig. 4, is a side elevation of a completely formed link and a part of an adjacent link. Fig. 5, is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6, is an end view of the device as shown in Fig. 4, looking from the right of said figure.

The first step of the process in forming the improved link is to stamp out a piece of sheet metal in the form shown in Fig. 2 having the body portion A the narrow tongues B, B and the cut away portions a and a a a Said cut away portions are of such a form that each shall form a portion of a dovetailed slot or indentation, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The outer ends of the narrow tongues spread outwardly to fit into a dove-tailed groove, as shown in Fig. 4.

The second step in the process of forming the link is to bend the body portion A into the form of a cylinder having a circular cross section, the two edges C, C coming together, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This leaves indentations at a, a a a in the edges and at the ends of the cylindrical body portion of the link. (See Fig. These indentations come opposite the tongues B and B and are dovetailed, as

shown and described to receive the spreading ends b, 79 of the tongues B, B It is desirable to bend the tongues with the two longitudinal portions parallel and the Copies of transverse portions at right angles to the longitudinal portions. The tongues are bent up into the shape shown in Figs. 4 and 5, with one tongue engaging through the adjacent tongue, as shown at B in Figs. 4 and 5, so that whena number of links are thus engaged, a continuous chain is formed, as shown in Fig. 1. The distance apart of the longitudinal portions of the bent up link is about equal to the width of the tongue'so that there 1s but little lost motion in conveying the motion from one link to another.

It will be seen that by so forming the blank, that there shall be cut away portions or indentations a, a a m in the body of the formed up link, and turning the ends of the tongue into these indentations a strong construction is secured, as the sides of the indentations will prevent the lateral movement of the end of the tongue in the direction upon which the strain comes when power is transmitted through the chain, and the surface of the linkis quite smooth and even. Moreover the dovetailed form of the slots with the ends of the tongues formed to fit therein prevents the tongues from being drawn out longitudinally.

What I claim is 1. In a flexible shaft, a link having a body portion consisting of aplate formed into a cylinder, a single tongue integral with said body portion extending from each edge of said plate that formsan end of said body portion, each of said tongues being similarlybent over upon itself so as to form a closed engaging loop. 1 t

2. A link for a flexible shaft stamped from a single blank, consisting of a cylindrical rolled body portion having a tongue 7 with a widened outer end extending from one edge, a dovetailed indentation in said body portion at the edge opposite that from which the tongue extends, said tongue being bent to have its end engage in said indentation, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EDD o. OLIVER.

Witnesses: u

LOTTA Lnn' BRAY, I ELLIOTT J. STODDARD.

this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

